I just planted my Endless Summer hydrangea today. A stem broke off while I was working with the plant and I'm wondering if I can root this cutting. I have it in water now.
Anybody know? Sure would be nice to have two.
Will Hydrangeas root from a cutting?
Yes they will. The best cuttings I've read are in July and August, from a stem that didn't have a bloom on it. However, while trimming back my hydrangeas last fall, I didnt want to waste the cuttings and planted them. I had alot take off, they were under lights and I had treated the cut ends with root hormone. I did it in the fall, and if I were you, I wouldn't waste the cutting, I'd sure give it a try. Put it in its own pot, cover it until you have roots and keep out of direct sunlight. I'm betting it will.
I'm sure going to give it a try. It does have a wilted bloom on it so I will take the bloom off first.
My Endless Summer looks wonderful this morning. Didn't even wilt down any and the bloom is still beautiful. It was very rootbound when I planted it so I loosened the roots. I have it in a garden bed that gets a little sun mid afternoon so for right now I'm shading it from all sun till it gets adjusted.
I root many hydrangea cuttings - I usually do it in late July and the first week in August, but only because I'm a lazy old gardener. I deadhead then and take cuttings to root. I do all of mine outside by putting a minimum of two cuttings in each gallon black plastic nursery pot. I use a good quality potting soil, to which I add a bit of peat and vermiculite. I have a shady area in which I place them and I water/spray them at least once a day. They are hardened off by the time our mild winters begin, and I leave them outside. If the cutting shows green, is firm but pliant and has the leaves removed from the growth nodes that are placed below the soil line, they should do well. Do keep them out of the sun. Dirr recommends non flowering stems, so I usually use them, but he isn't dogmatic, and I'd give any cuttings a try. Experimenting is the fun of it.
I'm giving it a try. I noticed today the stem has two tiny leaf growths on it. ;) I haven't had time to put it in a pot yet but I will do that tomorrow and use some rooting hormone and see what happens.
Lin
I have had good luck starting new hydrangeas from cuttings (particularly Endless Summer). I had a really nice branch break off by accident. I cut the base of the stem on an angle, picked off the two bottom sets of leaves and stuck it into a pot with very wet potting soil. I kept the pot directly under my hose (which drips whenever I water), so the pot was kept wet almost all the time. (You can even keep a plastic tray under it so it stays wet). It may look like it's not going to make it, but be patient. In a couple weeks, it will perk up and you will see new growth. The hydrangeas that I started are healthy, strong plants.